Two dogs rescued from house fire - no smoke alarms
Firefighters were called to reports of a house fire in Southend last night after neighbours saw smoke coming from the property and called 999.
When crews arrived they discovered a fire in the cupboard under the stairs and the house was full of smoke.
Incident Commander Dean Riley said: "Crews saved two dogs from the property and got them out safely.
"We cannot stress enough how important it is to have working smoke alarms on every level of your home. If you haven’t got any or they’re not working, we can fit them for free. Get in touch with our home fire safety team at essex-fire.gov.uk/book or by calling 0300 303 0088.
"The neighbour acted really quickly, calling 999 as soon as they spotted the smoke - a decision that made all the difference. Unfortunately due to the smoke damage throughout the house, it has been left uninhabitable."
The cause of the fire was accidental, started by a fault in the electrics under the stairs.
Do you have working smoke alarms in your home?
Smoke alarms save lives. They can alert your family as well as your neighbours and passers by to a fire in your home if you're not in.
We recommend you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home and that you test them at least once a month.
If you or someone you know doesn’t have working smoke alarms at home, please get in touch with our Service. Visit essex-fire.gov.uk/book or call 0300 303 0088.
